Hello everyone,
My name is Brad. My wife and I started a small farm called Steele Faith Farm this year in Northern Illinois about an hour outside of Chicago. We had 3 hens someone gave us last fall. We enjoyed them so much we have ordered 2 sets of chicks to increase our flock to 70 birds. Most of the birds are Delawares which I am very happy with. They are calm and pretty to look at. I found out they are considered critical by ALBC so I want to breed them to help continue the breed. The other breeds of chick we ordered were white Jersey Giants, Dark Cornish, Aruancanas and some Red Stars. We ordered a couple of New Hampshire chicks but I swear one is turning out to be a Welsummer. Oh well I like Welsummers too. We free range our birds the first batch of chicks are just starting to forage last week and are doing great going back into the coop in the evening. I realize that if I am going to be breeding my Delawares, that a good portion of the are going to be cockerels. I am ok with the circle of life thing and don't mind processing them. I would like to know how old they should be when I do process them. Also, I am a little confused as to what is or makes a "fryer", "broiler", or a "roaster". I am looking to get an exemption to sell butchered birds from the farm and I don't want to label it incorrectly.
Also, I have a breeding question. I bought Dark Cornish pullets and cockerels in my last batch of chicks because the hens are supposed to be broody and good mothers. I bought the cockerels just the breed more Dark Cornish. Does anyone know what the offspring Dark Cornish rooster mated to a Jersey Giant hen would produce? Would it produce a good meat bird? I know some people don't like crosses, mutts or mixed breeds but most breeds started out by crossing one thing with another. I am not a fan of Cornish Crosses but, if any of you have a breed suggestion that free ranges well and gets a little bigger than the Delaware with clean legs I would be pretty interested. Let me know your thoughts!
Brad
My name is Brad. My wife and I started a small farm called Steele Faith Farm this year in Northern Illinois about an hour outside of Chicago. We had 3 hens someone gave us last fall. We enjoyed them so much we have ordered 2 sets of chicks to increase our flock to 70 birds. Most of the birds are Delawares which I am very happy with. They are calm and pretty to look at. I found out they are considered critical by ALBC so I want to breed them to help continue the breed. The other breeds of chick we ordered were white Jersey Giants, Dark Cornish, Aruancanas and some Red Stars. We ordered a couple of New Hampshire chicks but I swear one is turning out to be a Welsummer. Oh well I like Welsummers too. We free range our birds the first batch of chicks are just starting to forage last week and are doing great going back into the coop in the evening. I realize that if I am going to be breeding my Delawares, that a good portion of the are going to be cockerels. I am ok with the circle of life thing and don't mind processing them. I would like to know how old they should be when I do process them. Also, I am a little confused as to what is or makes a "fryer", "broiler", or a "roaster". I am looking to get an exemption to sell butchered birds from the farm and I don't want to label it incorrectly.
Also, I have a breeding question. I bought Dark Cornish pullets and cockerels in my last batch of chicks because the hens are supposed to be broody and good mothers. I bought the cockerels just the breed more Dark Cornish. Does anyone know what the offspring Dark Cornish rooster mated to a Jersey Giant hen would produce? Would it produce a good meat bird? I know some people don't like crosses, mutts or mixed breeds but most breeds started out by crossing one thing with another. I am not a fan of Cornish Crosses but, if any of you have a breed suggestion that free ranges well and gets a little bigger than the Delaware with clean legs I would be pretty interested. Let me know your thoughts!
Brad
from Ohio. So glad you joined. 
